Contract approved for parks, streets

by Ian Bauer, Milpitas Post

Posted:
06/13/2012 03:31:14 PM PDT

City of Milpitas' park and street maintenance services were outsourced last week. The action came before the planned June 30 layoff of nearly 30 people who previously did the work under Milpitas Public Works Department.

Milpitas City Council voted 4-1 June 5, with Councilman Armando Gomez dissenting, to award two related contracts to Colorado-based Terracare Associates for park landscaping and street landscaping and repair services.

Under its parks maintenance contact, Terracare will be paid an annual base price of $1,326,155 for the first two years and $1,369,638 for years three through five. The contract for these services is for one year with four one-year options for renewal, city reports state.

Under its streetscape maintenance and repair contract, Terracare will receive an annual not-to-exceed amount of $125,218 for all aspects of landscape and irrigation system maintenance for the city's landscaped streetscapes, medians and rights of way.

The council's approval allows the city manager to grant yearly increases pursuant to the contract without further city council action.

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Terracare was chosen above three other similar firms and was determined to be the most advantageous to the city, reports state.

According to its website, Terracare is one of the leading landscape maintenance and public infrastructure maintenance contractors in the western United States.

Prior to the council's vote, Gomez pulled both items off the council's consent calendar.

"I pulled this off consent (because) I just want to remain consistent with my previous comments," Gomez said, noting in early May he voted against laying off city workers. "If somebody would like to make a motion I'd be happy to vote against (these contracts)."

Vice Mayor Pete McHugh noted that Milpitas City Manager Tom Williams had determined the city's park system was "not in the pristine shape that we were led to believe."

Williams related how Terracare personnel as well as city engineering staffers had taken an inventory of all of the city's parks and found that there were "significant deficiencies."

"So much so that Terracare brought to our attention that they were worried that when they would start their service on July 1, they weren't held responsible for the deficiencies," Williams said.

Showing numerous photographs from local parks, Williams said the city found park irrigation systems broken; trees, grass and shrubbery dead or dying due to a lack of irrigation; unmitigated graffiti; and park benches vandalized and unpainted, among others issues.

Williams added city staffers are working with the contractors to bring these parks "up to speed."

"Not immediately but over a phased in period of time ... and we committed that we would obviously not hold Terracare responsible for any deficiencies that exist, as of today, before they commence...," Williams said.

Council members asked how the conditions could have degraded in the first place.

"My question is how long has this been going on?" Mayor Jose Esteves asked. "Six months, a year, more?"

Kathleen Phalen, acting city engineer/public works director, said she did not have an estimate on the time.

The mayor then asked who had the main responsibility for maintenance and inspection of the parks.

Phalen said it was the city's public works department, formerly the parks department, that was responsible for city park maintenance.

"Ultimately, it would be the parks and rec director, who is no longer with the city" Phalen added, alluding to former city Parks Director Bonnie Greiner who was terminated in January.

Phalen replied "staffing constraints" and "aging infrastructure" were partly to blame for the conditions of the parks. "But yes this should not have happened, the parks should be kept up," she said.

According to Williams, over a three-year period the city would manage the upgrades and improvements to the parks.

Gomez was not pleased with city staffers' responses and asserted the city manager was also to blame.

"Tom, I don't want you to feel you're off the hook too because ultimately this is at the top," Gomez said. "The top is also responsible for this (and) I don't think you can just point the finger and say, ÔHey, it's public works, it's parks and rec' ... If it's been going on for two years you've been here for a lot longer than that."

Councilwoman Debbie Giordano said she had noticed city parks including the one near her home had been on the "downslide" for the past year or 18 months. She commended Williams for having "a lot of courage" and bringing the situation to the council's attention.

"So I think you're going to fix it," she said.

Vice Mayor McHugh noted employing Terracare was a good idea and said city staff's "insights vindicate the decision to contract out."

Contact Ian Bauer at ibauer@themilpitaspost.com or 408-262-2454. Visit us on our social media sites at facebook.com/milpitas post and twitter.com/milpitaspost.